It’s the first Wednesday in November, which means it’s Insecurity time! As a group, let’s air out those raggedy insecurities. Give them a really good kicking for the month. If you’d like to join the group and the insecurity bashing (it’s comforting!), click on over here and sign yourself up.

Each month generous co-hosts donate their time to keep the kicking on track and productive. For November, our co-hosts are Diedre Knight, Lisa Buie Collard , Kim Lajevardi, and JQ Rose!

And the totally optional question for this month is:  What creative activity do you engage in when you’re not writing?

I like how this question pre-supposes authors create in other areas. It seems to be true (correct me if I’m over generalizing!) that creative humans have multiple little cracks for their imaginations to shine through. The desire to create is one that spreads itself out, covering different methods and modes. It’s like we need to ‘see’ our imaginings come to life, and the way we ‘see’ isn’t confined to one thing.

This additional creative activity can be renewing. It’s creating something from the intangible, but it’s also different from pounding out words. It involves different methods, and that can be a refreshing break which allows us to come back to the writing with new energy. Which makes our other creative activities also another source of inspiration. It’s a lovely sort of invigorating cycle. And I know when I’m *not* utilizing my creative outlets, I start to feel stagnant and act like a swamp troll. I feel like a part of me is being squashed flat and stuffed in a box, and it’s not a comfortable way to exist.

In my case it’s music and ballroom dancing. I don’t play instruments much anymore because I just don’t make the time, but it used to be cello and flute, and choir. I’m lucky enough to live in a place with a vibrant dance community, and I get to learn a different style of dance every month.

I’m excited to click around and read what everyone else has as their outlets. I guess we’ll see if my theory about us creative types will hold true!